Glove box assembly

ABSTRACT

A glove box assembly for a vehicle includes a box member that is adapted to fit in an opening of the vehicle. The box member includes front and rear surfaces with the rear surface including a guide surface formed thereon. The box member also includes a recessed portion that extends toward the direction of the rear surface defining a storage space. A pair of tabs spaced laterally relative to each other extends downward from the recessed portion and rearward of the guide surface. A slide member extends from a first end to a second end and includes front and rear surfaces. The front surface of the slide member is disposed proximate the guide surface such that the slide member is operative to move laterally relative to the guide surface. The slide member includes a tapered portion that is sized to pass without interference with the pair of tabs when the slide member is positioned in an installation position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention generally relates to glove box assemblies, and with moreparticularity to glove box assemblies having a releasable latchmechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Glove box assemblies are generally known in the art for use in avehicle. Such glove box assemblies typically include a compartmenthaving a door that is movable with respect to the compartment. The doorgenerally includes a latch such that the door can be opened and closedby an operator or passenger of a vehicle. Generally such latchmechanisms include a large number of parts making the latch difficult toassemble and costly to manufacture. Additionally, such latch mechanismsare prone to rattle and noise providing a less than desirable effect ona driver or passenger of a vehicle.

Additionally, glove box assemblies positioned in a dash of a vehicleshould have a secure latching mechanism to comply with safetyrequirements. Such a latch should securely retain the door relative tothe compartment when a force is applied to the latch.

There is therefore a need in the art for a glove box assembly having aminimum number of parts that is easy to install and manufacture.Additionally, there is also a need in the art for a glove box assemblyhaving a secure latch mechanism that does not rattle or causeunnecessary noise in the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A glove box assembly for a vehicle includes a box member that is adaptedto fit in an opening of the vehicle. The box member includes front andrear surfaces with the rear surface including a guide surface formedthereon. The box member also includes a recessed portion that extendstoward the direction of the rear surface defining a storage space. Apair of tabs spaced laterally relative to each other extends downwardfrom the recessed portion and rearward of the guide surface. A slidemember extends from a first end to a second end and includes front andrear surfaces. The front surface of the slide member is disposedproximate the guide surface such that the slide member is operative tomove laterally relative to the guide surface. The slide member includesa tapered portion that is sized to pass without interference with thepair of tabs when the slide member is positioned in an installationposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glove box assembly of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a door member of the glove box assemblyof the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of a latch hook having a datum of the doormember shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3A is a partial view of a latch hook having no datum of the doormember shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view detailing a lock assembly associatedwith the glove box assembly with the slide member in the lockedposition;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a lock assembly associated withthe glove box assembly with the slide member in the unlocked position;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view detailing the glove box assembly in a lockedposition;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view detailing the glove box assembly in anunlocked position;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a slide member of the glove boxassembly;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 shown in FIG. 1

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a lock assembly according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the lock assembly being installed to theglove box assembly;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the lock assembly being installed to theglove box assembly

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the lock assembly being installed to theglove box assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a glove box assembly 15 according tothe present invention. The glove box assembly 15 includes a box member17 that is adapted to fit in an opening in a vehicle. The opening may betypically formed in an instrument panel but may be moved to otherpositions within the vehicle as desired. The box member 17 includesfront and rear surfaces 19, 21. The rear surface 21 includes a guidesurface 23 formed thereon. The box member 17 also includes a recessedportion 25 that extends toward the direction of the rear surface 21 anddefines a storage space 27 of the glove box assembly 15. A pair of tabs29 are spaced laterally relative to each other and extend downward fromthe recessed portion 25 and rearward of the guide surface 23.

The glove box assembly 15 also includes a slide member 31 that extendsfrom a first end 33 to a second end 35 and includes front and rearsurfaces 37, 39. The front surface 37 of the slide member 31 is disposedproximate the guide surface 23 such that the slide member 31 isoperative to move laterally relative to the guide surface 23. In oneaspect of the invention, the slide member 31 includes a tapered portion41 that is sized to pass without interference with the pair of tabs 29when the slide member 31 is positioned in an installation position.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8, the slide member 31 includes a releaseportion 43 formed on the first end 33 and extends toward the second end35 of the slide member 31. An engagement portion 45 extends from therelease portion 43 to the second end 35 of the release member 31. Theengagement portion 45 includes a pair of pockets 47 formed therein. Thepockets 47 include a rear surface 49 and side surfaces 51 extendingforward from the rear surface 49. An engagement ledge 53 extendslaterally from one of the side surfaces 51. The engagement ledge 53 isoperative to releasably engage a latch member 55 in response to lateralmovement of the slide member 31. The pockets 47 also include flexiblefingers 57 formed on the rear surface 49 of the pockets 47. The flexiblefingers 57 extend laterally relative to the rear surface 49 andterminate at bulbous ends 59 extending rearward. The front surface 37 ofthe slide member 31 includes rounded projections 61 formed thereon andextend forward from the front surface 37. The combination of theflexible fingers 57 and rounded projections 61 allows the slide member31 to contact the guide surface 23 of the box member 17 securely suchthat noise and rattles are eliminated, as will be discussed in moredetail below.

The guide surface 23 of the box member 17 includes latch slots 63 formedtherein allowing passage of the latch members 55 into the pair ofpockets 47. Additionally, the guide surface 23 includes a projectionmember 65 formed thereon. The projection member 65 is received in arecess 67 formed in the slide member 31, best seen in FIG. 8, thatlimits the lateral travel of the slide member 31 relative to the guidesurface 23. A return spring 69, best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, is attachedto the second end 35 of the slide member 31 at one end of the spring andto the box member 17 at another end of the spring to bias the slidemember 31 laterally in a desired direction. The biasing spring 69 allowsfor the slide member 31 to be biased in a direction such that the latchmembers 55 are securely retained within the pockets 47, again as will bediscussed in more detail below.

As described above, the slide member 31 includes a tapered portion 41allowing the slide member 31 to be installed without interference fromthe tabs 29. Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that in theinstallation position, the tapered portion 41 may be positioned directlybelow the tab 29 on the right-hand side of the box member 17, such thatthe slide member 31 is positioned proximate the guide surface 23. Next,the slide member 31 may be moved laterally to the left, such that it isin the installed position. In the installed position, the tabs 29 retainthe slide member 31 in position proximate the guide surface 23. When inthe installed position, the bulbous ends 59 of the flexible fingers 57contact the pair of tabs 29 biasing the slide member 31 forward as bestshown in FIG. 10 such that the rounded projections 61 contact the guidesurface 23 as best shown in FIG. 9, again for reducing noise, vibrationand rattle between the slide member 31 and the box member 17.

The box member 17 of the present invention also includes a lock slot 71formed in the box member 17 proximate the release portion 43 of theslide member 31 when the slide member 31 is in the installed positionrelative to the box member.

A lock assembly 73, best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, including a housing 75and a lock member 77 movably disposed in the housing 75 for in and outmovement relative to the housing 75 is positioned relative to the lockslot 71 formed in the box member 17. The lock member 77 includes anextension portion 79 that passes through the lock slot 71 formed in thebox member 17. In one aspect of the invention, a biasing spring may beassociated with the lock member 77 and the housing 75 to bias the lockmember 77 out relative to the housing 75. The extension portion 79 ofthe lock member 77 includes an angled surface 81 formed on the end ofthe extension portion 79. The angled surface 81 is operative to contactthe release portion 43 of the slide member 31 to translate in and outmotion of the lock member 77 to lateral movement of the slide member 31,to lock and unlock the glove box assembly 15 of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the glove box assembly 15 of the present inventionalso includes a door member 83 that is hingedly attached to the boxmember 17. The door member 83 includes front and rear surfaces 85, 87.At least one latch member 55 extends rearward from the rear surface 87of the door member 83. The at least one latch member 55, with two beingshown in the figures, is movable in and out of the at least one latchslot 63 formed in the box member 17. The at least one latch member 55 isoperative to releasably contact the at least one pocket 47 when the doormember 83 is hinged closed relative to the box member 17. As statedabove, in one aspect of the invention, the at least one latch member 55includes two latch members 55 that are spaced laterally from each other.

As shown in FIG. 2, the latch member 55 is a hook member 89 having ashank portion 91 extending from the rear surface 87 of the door member83 and terminating at a curved portion 93. Both the shank portion 91 andcurved portion 93 include inner and outer surfaces 95, 97. The innersurface 95 of the curved portion 93 includes a flat contact portion 99formed thereon that is operative to releasably contact the engagementledge 53 of the pocket 47, as described above. The outer surface 97 ofthe shank portion 91 includes at least one datum rib 101 formed thereon.The at least one datum rib 101 extends from a first end 103 positionedproximate the rear surface 87 of the door member 83 to a second end 105ending at the curved portion 93 of the hook member 89. In one aspect ofthe invention, the at least one datum rib 101 includes two datum ribs101, as shown in FIG. 3. In one aspect of the invention, the hook member89 may include datum ribs 101, or may have a smooth outer surface 97, asshown in FIG. 3A. Again referring to FIG. 3, the datum rib 101 includesan angled surface 107 formed on the second end 105 of the datum rib 101.The angled surface 107 guides the hook member 89 into the latch slot 63formed in the box member 17, as well as into the pocket 47 when the doormember 83 is hinged closed relative to the box member 17. The datum rib101 also includes a top surface 109 that is operative to align the hookmember 89 in the pocket 47 when the door member 83 is hinged closedrelative to the box member 17. The datum rib 101 aligns the door member83 to the box member 17 as the top surface 109 of the datum rib 101contacts the latch opening 63. In one aspect of the invention, the latchmember 55 is integrally formed with the door member 83. It should berealized that the latch member 55 may otherwise be connected to the doormember 83 such as using friction welds or other attachment techniques.

Referring to FIG. 11, there is shown the lock assembly 73 of the presentinvention. As can be seen in the figure, the housing 75 includeslocation tabs 111 formed thereon. The location tabs 111 pass through keyslots 113 formed on the release portion 43 of the slide member 31 whenthe lock assembly 73 is installed. As best seen in FIG. 12, the lockassembly 73 is positioned to pass through the lock slot 71 formed in thebox member 17. The slide member may be moved to the left, as seen inFIG. 12, to align the location tabs 111 with the key slots 113 formed inthe slide member 31. Next the lock assembly 73 is pushed forward, asseen in FIG. 13, such that the location tabs 111 pass through the keyslots 113 formed in the slide member 31. Next the slide member 31 ismoved to the right, as seen in FIG. 14, such that the lock housing 75 isassociated with the slide member 31. The release portion 43 of the slidemember is positioned between the tabs 111 formed on the lock housing 75.The lock housing 75 may then be attached to the box member 17 usingappropriate fasteners positioned through attachment slots 115 formed onthe lock housing 75. The extension portion 79 of the lock assembly 73 isnow positioned in the lock slot 71 to contact the slide member 31, asdescribed above.

The movement of the slide member 31 left is limited such that the tabs111 formed on the housing 75 will not pass through the key slots 113 ofthe slide member 31 once the lock assembly 73 is installed. The size ofthe angled surface 81 formed on the lock member 77 limits the leftwardtravel of the slide member 31. In this manner the lock assembly 73 maybe attached in a straightforward manner without the need for acomplicated assembly process.

In operation, the door member 83 that is hingedly attached to the boxmember 17 may be moved to a closed position such that the hook members89 are guided by the ribs 101 formed on the hook members 89 through thelatch slots 63 formed in the box member 17 and into the pocket 47 formedin the slide member 31. The slide member 31 is biased by the returnspring 69 such that the engagement ledge 53 formed on the slide member31 contacts the flat contact portion 99 of the hook member 89, as bestshown in FIG. 6. In this position, the latch member 55 is securelyretained from movement away from the slide member 31 due to the contact,described above.

When one wishes to unlatch or open the glove box assembly 15, anoperator depresses the lock member 77 from its initial locked positionshown in FIG. 4, where the extension portion 79 does not contact therelease portion 43 of the slide member 31, to the unlocked positionshown in FIG. 5. In the unlocked position, an operator depresses thelock member 77, such that the lock member 77 moves in relative to thebox member 17, such that the extension portion 79 including the angledsurface 81 contacts the release portion 43 of the slide member 31. Theangled surface 81 contact causes the slide member 31 to move lateralrelative to the guide surface 23 of the box member 17. The lateralmovement of the slide member 31, best shown in FIG. 7, releases contactbetween the engagement ledge 53 and the latch member 55 such that thelatch member 55 is free to move out with respect to the pockets 47.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to beunderstood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be inthe nature of words of description rather than limitation. Manymodifications and variations of the invention are possible in light ofthe above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims,the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

1. A glove box assembly for a vehicle comprising: a box member adaptedto fit in an opening in the vehicle, the box member including front andrear surfaces, the rear surface including a guide surface formedthereon, the box member including a recessed portion extending towardthe direction of the rear surface defining a storage space; a pair oftabs spaced laterally relative to each other, each of the tabs extendingdownward from the recessed portion and rearward of the guide surface; aslide member extending from a first end to a second end and includingfront and rear surfaces, the front surface of the slide member disposedproximate the guide surface, the slide member operative to movelaterally relative to the guide surface; the slide member including atapered portion sized to pass without interference with the pair of tabswhen the slide member is positioned in an installation position.
 2. Theglove box assembly of claim 1 wherein the slide member is movedlaterally from the installation position to the installed positionwherein the pair of tabs retains the slide member in position proximatethe guide surface.
 3. The glove box assembly of claim 2 wherein theslide member includes a release portion formed on the first end andextending toward the second end of the slide member and an engagingportion extending from the release portion to the second end of therelease member.
 4. The glove box assembly of claim 2 wherein theengagement portion includes a pair of pockets formed therein, thepockets including a rear surface and side surfaces extending forwardfrom the rear surface.
 5. The glove box assembly of claim 4 wherein thepockets include an engagement ledge extending laterally from one of theside surfaces, the ledge operative to releasably engage a latch memberin response to lateral movement of the slide member.
 6. The glove boxassembly of claim 5 wherein the guide surface includes slots formedtherein allowing passage of the latch members into the pair of pockets.7. The glove box assembly of claim 4 wherein the pockets includeflexible fingers formed on the rear surface of the pockets.
 8. The glovebox assembly of claim 7 wherein the flexible fingers extend laterallyrelative to the rear surface and terminate at bulbous ends extendingrearward.
 9. The glove box assembly of claim 8 wherein the front surfaceof the slide member includes rounded projections formed thereon andextending forward from the front surface.
 10. The glove box assembly ofclaim 9 wherein the bulbous ends contact the pair of tabs biasing theslide member forward such that the rounded projections contact the guidesurface for reducing noise vibration and rattle between the slide memberand the box member.
 11. The glove box assembly of claim 2 wherein theguide surface includes a projection member formed thereon, theprojection received in a recess formed in the slide member limiting thelateral travel of the slide member relative to the guide surface. 12.The glove box assembly of claim 2 including a return spring attached tothe second end of the slide member for biasing the slide memberlaterally.
 13. The glove box assembly of claim 2 including a lock slotformed in the box member proximate the release portion of the slidemember.
 14. The glove box assembly of claim 13 including a lock assemblyhaving a housing and a lock member movably disposed in the housing forin and out movement relative to the housing, the lock member includingan extension portion passing through the lock slot formed in the boxmember.
 15. The glove box assembly of claim 14 including a biasingspring associated with the lock member and housing for biasing the lockmember out relative to the housing.
 16. The glove box assembly of claim14 wherein the extension portion includes an angled surface formed onthe end of the extension portion.
 17. The glove box assembly of claim 16wherein the angled surface is operative to contact the release portionof the slide member for translating in and out motion of the lock memberto lateral movement of the slide member.
 18. A glove box assembly for avehicle comprising: a box member adapted to fit in an opening in thevehicle, the box member including front and rear surfaces, the rearsurface including a guide surface formed thereon, the box memberincluding a recessed portion extending toward the direction of the rearsurface defining a storage space, the guide surface including latchslots formed therein; a door member hingedly attached to the box member,the door member including two latch members formed thereon, the latchmembers movable in the latch slots formed in the box member; a pair oftabs spaced laterally relative to each other, each of the tabs extendingdownward from the recessed portion and rearward of the guide surface; aslide member extending from a first end to a second end and includingfront and rear surfaces, the front surface of the slide member disposedproximate the guide surface, the slide member operative to movelaterally relative to the guide surface; the slide member including apair of pockets formed therein, the pockets including a rear surface andside surfaces extending forward from the rear surface and an engagementledge extending laterally from one of the side surfaces, the ledgeoperative to releasably engage the latch members formed on the doormember in response to lateral movement of the slide member.
 19. Theglove box assembly of claim 18 including a lock assembly mounted on thebox member, the lock assembly having a housing and a lock member movablydisposed in the housing for in and out movement relative to the housing,the lock member including an extension portion passing through a lockslot formed in the box member.
 20. The glove box assembly of claim 19wherein the extension portion includes an angled surface formed on theend of the extension portion, the angled surface being operative tocontact the slide member translating in and out motion of the lockmember to lateral movement of the slide member disengaging and engagingthe slide member from the latch members of the door member.
 21. Theglove box assembly of claim 19 wherein the lock housing includeslocation tabs formed thereon that pass through keyway slots formed onthe slide member when the lock assembly is mounted on the box member.22. The glove box assembly of claim 21 wherein the lock housing ismovable with respect to the slide member after the location tabs passthrough the keyway slots formed on the slide member for associating thelock housing with the slide member.